Artist Development – Your True Voice Studio | Chicago Voice Teacherhttp://yourtruevoicestudio.com
Wed, 14 Mar 2018 17:32:20 +0000en-UShourly1How to Prepare for an American Idol or The Voice Auditionhttp://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/07/prepare-american-idol-voice-audition/
http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/07/prepare-american-idol-voice-audition/#respondMon, 24 Jul 2017 23:41:31 +0000http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/?p=407Every year I am contacted by producers at American Idol (which is being rebooted) or The Voice. Having had contestants on both, I am very familiar in preparing singers for the show. I was recently contacted by American Idol to submit singers for private auditions so that you bypass the cattle call. This is a huge advantage in that you ...

]]>Every year I am contacted by producers at American Idol (which is being rebooted) or The Voice. Having had contestants on both, I am very familiar in preparing singers for the show. I was recently contacted by American Idol to submit singers for private auditions so that you bypass the cattle call. This is a huge advantage in that you go in without the hassle of standing in long lines, and you already know there is a level of interest. I only submit people that are working for you to make sure you are prepared and that my reputation stays in tact so they take my suggestions seriously.

So in preparing you, we will work on technique, style, song selection and your type. American Idol is not only a singing competition, it is a casting show. They want the country singer, the rocker, the black artist, the crooner, the funny guy, etc. You get the point. You need to know how you are presenting yourself and stick with it, or you are confusing to the judges and ultimately the audience.

So, if you are serious, contact me ASAP using the form on the right so we can start immediately.

]]>http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/07/prepare-american-idol-voice-audition/feed/0Raising the Creative Child – Part 3http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/06/raising-the-creative-child-part-3/
http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/06/raising-the-creative-child-part-3/#respondSat, 03 Jun 2017 00:30:44 +0000http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/?p=396Over my long career as a voice teacher, I have trained many young people that have gone on to huge success in the entertainment industry. In this three part series I will share some insights for the creative child and the parents raising them. In the first part of this series I touched on what defines a creative child and how parents ...

]]>Over my long career as a voice teacher, I have trained many young people that have gone on to huge success in the entertainment industry. In this three part series I will share some insights for the creative child and the parents raising them. In the first part of this series I touched on what defines a creative child and how parents can avoid some of the pitfalls that come with raising a creative child that you can read here . In part two of the series I discussed the elements parents need to focus on to avoid common mistakes when raising a creative child that that you can read here . In this final part I will share some stories I’ve heard from parents and what you as a parent can do and expect when raising a creative child.

Tales from the front

Some of the most harrowing and destructive things I’ve heard from parents of creative children. Statements that destroy self worth:

“Susie will not dance because she has a brain.”

A parent called up the admissions program, where their child was accepted in a prestigious musical theater program, complaining they don’t know how this happened to their child.

“Don’t you think Billy needs a backup plan?”

The first two are just insulting, the third ignorant, because the parent has no real idea of the industry. While teaching at the prestigious Broadway Theatre Project, stage legend Tommy Tune was asked about having a backup plan. His response was, “To have a backup plan, is to plan for failure.”

So, What to do and expect

Get your child the best pre-professional training possible. This means working with people that have track records of success. This will involve more money and maybe traveling. Your child is worth it.

Realize your child might miss some school for these activities. But, we are talking about the educational track for a creative child. The correct education for a child like this is paramount for future success, just as math is for someone that becomes an engineer.

Expose your child to all aspects of the industry so they know what jobs are available outside of performing. Very few people make a living just performing while there are a ton of opportunities still within the creative/artistic professions.

Expose them to art and artists from the past and things they may not initially understand. It will give them a bigger palette to create from.

Do not think that classical training leads to contemporary success and do not try to shape your child’s training towards 19th century aesthetics and demands. Make sure it leads to success in today’s world.

Do not be a stage parent. Do not force your child into roles, etc., they did not earn on their own. Learning rejection is part of the education.

Let it be

In conclusion, accept your child’s inherent interests and talents and develop them accordingly. Support their self worth so when others may judge them as weird, they know what they have to offer to the world is just as, or more valuable. Accept they may like and say some things you may not get. Do not judge it unless it is truly self- destructive. Get them involved in truly useful training and programs

Love them.

I hope you, as a parent of a creative child, found this series useful.

]]>http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/06/raising-the-creative-child-part-3/feed/0Raising the Creative Child – Part 2http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/05/raising-the-creative-child-part-2/
http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/05/raising-the-creative-child-part-2/#respondFri, 19 May 2017 23:03:24 +0000http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/?p=387Over my long career as a voice teacher, I have trained many young people that have gone on to huge success in the entertainment industry. In this three part series I will share some insights for the creative child and the parents raising them. In the first part of this series I touched on what defines a creative child and how parents ...

]]>Over my long career as a voice teacher, I have trained many young people that have gone on to huge success in the entertainment industry. In this three part series I will share some insights for the creative child and the parents raising them. In the first part of this series I touched on what defines a creative child and how parents can avoid some of the pitfalls that come with raising a creative child that you can read here . In this part of the series I want to discuss the elements parents need to focus on to avoid common mistakes when raising a creative child. These elements will help parents prepare their child for what lies beyond.

Education

A creative child, let’s say a young actor, is going to have a different education than the “normal” child. I’d suggest trying to get the child working in the field ASAP (not because you are living vicariously through your child) because that child needs to learn what the real demands and environment of the field are. Actors, singers, etc., work on a daily basis with people that most will never even meet in their lives. Sheltered from these personalities, the child may end up being freaked out and not able to cope with all the personal variables in the equation. Being exposed at a younger age will create acceptance of people that may not be like your typical next door neighbor and let them be around all aspects of the professional world. They’ll be exposed to all of the different opportunities to make a real living in the field, which are many.

Letting their education solely come through school related productions or local theater groups, performing art schools is an absolute mistake. There are too many political factors, parents who don’t know what they are doing, teachers who do not know what the industry calls for influencing the education. To take that route guarantees the child, when they do start trying to do something professional, will not be adequately prepared. The education/training process needs to be viewed pragmatically so that the child can move into the professional world. Speaking as a voice teacher, that has trained many young people that have gone on to success, avoid a teacher that lives in the opera ghetto. Select someone that teaches behaviors that will help, not need to be overcome. To make the wrong decision is akin to training to be a professional golfer by working with a math tutor. Get your child into training that is focused on the target instead of away from it.

Avoid self-esteem based arts education at all costs

Aw, self-esteem, ain’t it wonderful? The concept of self-esteem in the education of a creative child is your enemy. Let me give you a few examples.

I have two locations for Your True Voice Studio. One in Chicago and one in Naperville, an affluent suburb. There are many self-esteem based performing arts schools there, yet very few successes come out of them.

One brags that every child is center stage. Well, how is that even possible? Even someone that moves into a successful career as a performer will not always be center stage. To perpetuate this awful myth, they do not have auditions, and if they are doing “Annie” there are 25 casts with 25 Annies. This is fantasy. Just like anything else, a serious young performer needs to learn sometimes they do not get the role. To subscribe to this philosophy is to build delusion. Delusion that you will succeed by showing up. In a conversation with the owner, I was told, “It’s not our goal for them to get better.” Ok. Why anyone would go there, I cannot fathom.

Another well known institution gives the appearance of excellence without the demands or appropriate instruction. The parents basically run the joint which undermines serious instruction and cause higher level teachers, which they’ve had, to leave. Music, dance, and acting instruction are offered, not because of the inherent value, but because of how they enhance self-esteem (because you get some kind of trophy), grades, etc.

For the creative child, the inherent value of self is enough, and what should be focused on by teachers that have a real track record in developing talents preparing for a professional life. Teachers should also offer insights education through exposure to other aspects of the industry as young as possible. This is not to say that recognition, awards and applause are not important to the developing creative child. They are. However, it should not be the point, but a result of the correct course. It is not the goal, but the result. Many young people in self esteem based arts programs end up being deluded into a false sense of their future because of the constant medals, trophies, and being told they are going on to Broadway! It’s basically “Waiting for Guffman LIve.” Once the false awards, etc., stop these young souls come crashing down to reality and quit. What a shame.

In the final part of this series, I’ll be sharing some of the stories I’ve heard from parents and what you as a parent can do and expect when raising a creative child.

]]>http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/05/raising-the-creative-child-part-2/feed/0Raising the Creative Child – Part 1http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/05/raising-the-creative-child-part-1/
http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/05/raising-the-creative-child-part-1/#commentsFri, 05 May 2017 22:55:27 +0000http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/?p=382Over my long career as a voice teacher, I have trained many young people that have gone on to huge success in the entertainment industry. In this three part series I will share some insights for the creative child and the parents raising them. The Normal, The Creative, and the Neurotic When I was working with a psychologist, he said something profound ...

]]>Over my long career as a voice teacher, I have trained many young people that have gone on to huge success in the entertainment industry. In this three part series I will share some insights for the creative child and the parents raising them.

The Normal, The Creative, and the Neurotic

When I was working with a psychologist, he said something profound to me, “You know Randy, there are three types of people in the world: the normal, the creative, and the neurotic.”

A normal person takes everything at face value and is fine with it.

A creative person sees through it all and has no concern for the normal. They lead creative, fulfilling lives.

The neurotic sees through it like the creative, but is concerned about fitting in with normal. They are miserable.

Is that what you want your child to be; neurotic?

Avoiding the pitfalls of raising a creative child

Since we’ve identified that creative children are intrinsically different, why do parents fail at raising them? There are many reasons. One of the main ones is trying to jam a square peg into a round hole.

The more you try to force that square peg into a round hole, the more the child becomes aware they are a square peg. This diminishes self worth (not self esteem, which we will discuss). Self worth is inherent. We all have it. To make your child into something they truly are not, starts diminishing it and setting up later behavioral issues, which creative children are prone to if not given the proper nurturing and guidance. Let them be, and realize their childhood and education and conclusions will most likely not lead them to work in corporate America, etc. Even if they do end up there, with their intrinsic personality fully realized, they will then be the leaders and innovators. There are plenty of places to read about the differences between self worth and self esteem. Besides, if you are not really good at your pursuit, do you really have self esteem? Outside recognition comes from being really good at something, not being told you are just because you want to be.

This is part of the reason the education, discussions, exposure to subjects, etc., and avoidance of self-esteem based training are so important.

The next part of this series will focus on the elements parents should focus to avoid common mistakes.

]]>http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/05/raising-the-creative-child-part-1/feed/1Actors Should Study Singing – Part 2http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/03/actors-should-study-singing-part-2/
http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/03/actors-should-study-singing-part-2/#respondSat, 04 Mar 2017 00:26:47 +0000http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/?p=329In part one of our discussion of why actors should study singing we went through some of the benefits that actors will gain by learning how to sing correctly; you can read the first part . Today we go over why it is important to choose the right person. . Why it is important to study with the right person There ...

]]>In part one of our discussion of why actors should study singing we went through some of the benefits that actors will gain by learning how to sing correctly; you can read the first part here . Today we go over why it is important to choose the right person.
.

Why it is important to study with the right person

There is a significant difference between talking with a classical teacher and someone that understands non-classical technique. In women, a classical approach means bringing the high voice (head voice) down low. It’s a very outdated sound that compromises the intelligibility of the words and does not fall in line with current standards of theatrical singing. Over 80% of musical theater roles require some kind of belt. Belt means a firm connection out of your speaking voice (chest voice) with an upper mix (sometimes hard, sometimes lighter) with vowels that still sound speech like. Women that study classically, or have no training, when they try to belt usually have disastrous results. They pull pure chest voice too high and then crack. With men, the opposite is true. Men come out of chest voice, but usually lack mixed production (a combination of chest and head) and have a shortened range. Many of these men are actually tenors (the predominant voice type in today’s environment) and cannot take on roles they actually could. They are misclassified as baritones which limits them to golden age roles.

A lot of classical teachers have started appealing to theatrical singers to increase studio volume, yet they don’t even know how to listen to the production of this type of singing. You need someone that knows it inside out and pick up on cues from your voice and knows how to adjust it in a commercially viable manner.

Q&A

In future blogs I would like to periodically answer questions from you. Please contact me with any questions using the form to the right.

]]>http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/03/actors-should-study-singing-part-2/feed/0Actors Should Study Singing – Part 1http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/02/actors-should-study-singing-part-1/
http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/02/actors-should-study-singing-part-1/#commentsSat, 18 Feb 2017 00:30:32 +0000http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/?p=320For over 20 years I’ve taught voice and artistic development to professional actors, aspiring actors and young people. They have gone on to major musical theater programs, to star on Broadway and large touring companies, become major label recording artists, starred in movies and TV and won major competitions. I currently have three students on Broadway and many in touring ...

]]>For over 20 years I’ve taught voice and artistic development to professional actors, aspiring actors and young people. They have gone on to major musical theater programs, to star on Broadway and large touring companies, become major label recording artists, starred in movies and TV and won major competitions. I currently have three students on Broadway and many in touring companies, high profile local productions, TV shows and movies. My track record speaks for itself and the insights gained are invaluable. The thing is, not all of them are primarily singers but have benefited from voice lessons.

Why is it important for actors to study singing?

It broadens your ability to be cast. If you are not confident in your ability to sing, you are cutting out a fairly significant part of the market. I am not saying you need to be some world class singer, but you should be competent, so you can feel confident auditioning for musicals and roles that may require incidental singing. Training with the right person will get you there.

Today there are many opportunities for actors who sing. If Anna Kendrick didn’t nurture her singing, she might not have been cast in “Pitch Perfect.” There are many roles every year on Glee. More and more actors are making the leap to Broadway musicals. Singing is having a renaissance, fueled by shows like American Idol, The Voice, and the Got Talent series.

It will teach you to take strain off your voice when you are required to get into elevated speech. The simplest definition of singing is elevated speech. It will help protect your voice.

You will learn about vocal hygiene which will protect you.

In part 2 I’ll discuss why it is important to chose the right vocal coach for actors.

If you have questions or are interested in inquiring about lessons, please use the form on the right.

]]>http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2017/02/actors-should-study-singing-part-1/feed/1First Voice Lesson with Natalia Dagenhart – Part 2http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2016/11/first-voice-lesson-natalia-dagenhart-part-2/
http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2016/11/first-voice-lesson-natalia-dagenhart-part-2/#respondSat, 19 Nov 2016 19:00:55 +0000http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/?p=309The first voice lesson with a new student are some of my favorite sessions. In part two of this video series, Natalia Dagenhart and I continue to go through some vocal exercises and then work on some ways to improve certain areas. As you can see sometimes it’s the simplest fixes that reap the greatest rewards. hope enjoy these videos ...

]]>The first voice lesson with a new student are some of my favorite sessions. In part two of this video series, Natalia Dagenhart and I continue to go through some vocal exercises and then work on some ways to improve certain areas. As you can see sometimes it’s the simplest fixes that reap the greatest rewards. hope enjoy these videos and can see the improvements. While Natalia is not a big star, she loves to sing. There’s more to come and we’ll see you soon.

If you have questions please contact me through the form on the right.

]]>http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2016/11/first-voice-lesson-natalia-dagenhart-part-2/feed/0First Voice Lesson with Natalia Dagenharthttp://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2016/11/first-voice-lesson-with-natalia-dagenhart/
http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2016/11/first-voice-lesson-with-natalia-dagenhart/#respondSat, 12 Nov 2016 20:03:33 +0000http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/?p=305The first voice lesson with a new student are some of my favorite sessions. They always help me identify a student’s strengths and where they can improve. In this video series I had a chance to work with Natalia Dagenhart, and what a wonderful experience it was. In her first voice lesson we go through a series of vocal exercises ...

]]>The first voice lesson with a new student are some of my favorite sessions. They always help me identify a student’s strengths and where they can improve. In this video series I had a chance to work with Natalia Dagenhart, and what a wonderful experience it was. In her first voice lesson we go through a series of vocal exercises that help her strengthen her already good voice. I hope enjoy these videos and can see the improvements. While Natalia is not a big star, she loves to sing. There’s more to come and we’ll see you soon.

If you have questions please contact me through the form on the right.

]]>http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2016/09/true-voice-student-jessie-schram/feed/0Actors Should Study Singinghttp://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2016/08/actors-study-singing/
http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/2016/08/actors-study-singing/#respondMon, 01 Aug 2016 23:30:49 +0000http://yourtruevoicestudio.com/?p=215I was recently asked to be a guest writer for Cast IT Talent’s website. My topic was regarding why I feel actors should study singing and the benefits they gain. Below is an excerpt of that post: “For over 20 years I’ve taught voice and artistic development to professional actors, aspiring actors and young people. They have gone on to major ...

]]>I was recently asked to be a guest writer for Cast IT Talent’s website. My topic was regarding why I feel actors should study singing and the benefits they gain. Below is an excerpt of that post:

“For over 20 years I’ve taught voice and artistic development to professional actors, aspiring actors and young people. They have gone on to major musical theater programs, to star on Broadway and large touring companies, become major label recording artists, starred in movies and TV and won major competitions. I currently have three students on Broadway and many in touring companies, high profile local productions, TV shows and movies. My track record speaks for itself and the insights gained are invaluable. The thing is, not all of them are primarily singers but have benefited from voice lessons.”